In a concerning case of online radicalization and espionage, the Pathankot police have apprehended a 15-year-old boy for allegedly sharing sensitive information about key locations with handlers linked to Pakistan. The minor was detained on Monday, January 5, 2026, and subsequent investigations revealed a year-long contact with Pakistani agencies.
Social Media Trap and Year-Long Contact
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Daljinder Singh Dhillon stated that the tech-savvy teenager fell into the trap of Pakistani intelligence operatives while browsing social media platforms. According to the police, the boy had been in touch with Pakistan’s military officers, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agents, and front organisations associated with terror modules for approximately the past year.
Investigators disclosed that Pakistani agents managed to clone the minor's mobile phone, extracting data that included videos of sensitive sites. "He had done videography of some important locations and taken information. Possibly, if his phone was hacked, that information could have even gone live," SSP Dhillon warned, highlighting the potential security breach.
Personal Tragedy and Radicalization
Police probes uncovered a tragic personal backdrop to the case. The boy, who lost his father over a year ago, was a resident of Jammu and Kashmir. SSP Dhillon explained that the teenager wrongly believed his father was murdered, a suspicion that deeply affected his mental state. "Police investigations did not find that the boy’s father was murdered, but the boy suspected so…," the SSP clarified. This vulnerability is believed to have been exploited by the foreign handlers to radicalize him.
Ongoing Investigation and Network Links
The Pathankot police are continuing a thorough investigation to determine the full extent of the information shared and to unravel the networks involved. Authorities revealed that the minor was also allegedly linked to gangsters connected with terror modules. "Had we not apprehended him, in the future, he could have carried out any kind of activity," SSP Dhillon asserted, emphasizing the preventive nature of the detention.
The case underscores the persistent threat of online radicalization targeting vulnerable youth and the sophisticated methods, including phone cloning, used by hostile agencies to compromise national security. The police action in Pathankot has potentially thwarted a more significant security risk, with inquiries still ongoing.
